Craftivism is a participative exhibition responding to the resurgent interest in craft as it relates to socially-engaged art practice. It involves 14 projects developed by artists and collectives that work with craft-based traditions and activist practices, and who employ the tactics of ‘craftivism’ (combining crafting & activism) to question the prevailing codes of mass consumerism.

The artists involved engage with craft-based traditions through diverse practices including art, technology and fashion. Craftivism has been developed in relation to a range of contexts and includes nine artist-led participatory projects developed with local communities, shown as part of the exhibition; online and in free software-related projects with workshops, talks and the uncurated satellite event unCraftivism. Events also take place at Brandon Hill Park, Colston Hall, Full Circle St Pauls Youth and Family Centre, Knowle West Media Centre and The Mall Bristol. It looks to encourage wider communities to embrace the freedom to create, modify and distribute products and demonstrates the possibilities for people to modify their own lives.

An Arnolfini/Relational project curated by Zoe Shearman, Geoff Cox and Ann Coxon.
Developed with the support of a Crafts Council Spark Plug Curator Award.